Lee Paulson keeps being criticized for his letter Nov. 27 recommending gun collectors be allowed to keep their guns and join our troops fighting the terrorists in Afghanistan.

I was once a gun collector and I didn't feel insulted by his letter. I saw it as a humorous suggestion that made some sense. Our military personnel strength is stretched way too thin for our own good.

The Afghan terrorists are great gun collectors too. Their favorite gun is the Russian rapid-fire AK-47 but they collect any and every weapon they can find, so why not grant our gun collectors the freedom to volunteer and fight with their guns also?

Maybe all we old guys should be fighting in this war. We are the ones who started it. If we're healthy, our age should be no excuse not to participate in it.

We not only send our young off to fight the wars we start, but by not levying any taxes to pay the costs we stick our young people to pay for our wars later on.